Going Self Employed

[beefbeef]

Okay, so I'm looking into going self employed and sub contracting for various different companies. Now, I'm not sure how much to charge as a day rate. How much, if its not too rude to ask, is normally charged a day, just for one bloke with a climbing kit? Or does it depend on location, or on individual companies? How much do you self employed people charge? I have a figure in mind, but don't know if it is too much! Any help would be massively appreciated. Thanks, Beefbeef.

[Steve Bullman]

Its impossible to say really mate. Prices vary up and down the country, and obviously depend on your ability. Even ability alone isn't a factor, because what one company will happily pay, another wouldnt, regardless of your skill.

 

Best way is to sit down and work out what you actually need to earn, then add a bit to make working for yourself worthwhile

[beefbeef]

Steve, thanks for the quick reply. Thinking about it in the terms you've put it, I think I also need to go in with a price slightly higher than I want, as I expect there will be a bit of haggling too! I'm hoping to be able to earn a comfortable wage, and to be honest, from what I've been told, the normal rate for a climber is about 120 a day, although feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

[Steve Bullman]

Don't haggle mate...state your price and stick to it

 

£120 isnt a realistic figure to earn per day and expect to keep nicely maintained gear and a decent standard of living. Put your price in that range and you'll no doubt have more takers however.

 

Obviously your ability will come into it in this aspect though.

 

Can you tackle any tree without question? Can you relieve the boss of his daily headaches knowing that he can send you to anything and the job will get done without a hitch?

[skyhuck]

The price for the first day matters little.

 

Its about getting a foot in the door, that gives you the chance to show them how good you are and how much money your going to make them, after that its much easier to get decent money.

[David Goss]

Like Steve said it depends where you are and what your experience is. The thing you dont want to do is start too low (like I did:blushing:) but you also dont want to go too high either or you wont get any work. The £120 seems a good starting block and see where you go from there but it is hard to get it right. Also take into consideration distance you need to travel. If you are good then people will call you back whether they think you are expensive or not because a good worker is hard to find and worth paying that little extra for.

Good Luck and stay off my patch:001_tt2:

[beefbeef]

Well I'm young and don't have as much experience as others! But I don't doubt my ability to work hard and do a decent job! I think the best thing to do will be to get my foot in the door and see what happens... I need to be earning a decent living, I'm hoping to move soon and costs of living will be quite a lot higher than where I am now! Wages do reflect this as well though. I'm trying to get a feel for a price to ask for at the moment, what are your experiences in how much a fair daily rate is? Sorry if that's a rude question though!

[swinny]

Question from me then on this subject if you don't mind..... how do you explain to these companies that your day rate needs to go up without getting shown the door due to the vast amount of people up here in the north willing to climb for 80 a day?

 

Its funny when you speak to other companies and say its "x" amount per day for climbing and they sound shocked and say they only pay 80 a day and can you do better if there was lots of work....

[Will Ayers]

I'm trying to get a feel for a price to ask for at the moment, what are your experiences in how much a fair daily rate is? Sorry if that's a rude question though!

 

well as has been said before it really is a tricky question. when i cam out of college with no experience i was earning £90 a day. it slowly (over 3/4 years) crept up to £130 a day and i add on more for millage for my far away customers. i feel this is a wage where i can get by comfortably and the guys that employ me are still getting a good deal for there money. but for that i bring my own saws, climbing gear, rigging gear and pull lines etc, so that as Steve says... you can take on any job.

 

you need to be able to make alot of money for these guys until they are going to invest the 130 - 150 a day. it can be a slow old road but think of what you need to make not what you think people will be prepared to pay, more often than not people will be prepared to pay what you think you are worth.

 

oh and people do have to put up with my labrador sitting in my truck as well, unless there is no way she can come at all.

[Johny Walker]

Question from me then on this subject if you don't mind..... how do you explain to these companies that your day rate needs to go up without getting shown the door due to the vast amount of people up here in the north willing to climb for 80 a day?

 

Its funny when you speak to other companies and say its "x" amount per day for climbing and they sound shocked and say they only pay 80 a day and can you do better if there was lots of work....

 

its down to how much experieance you have or dont have that dictates your rate ,man that needs mentoring is worth less than a man that doesnt require mentoring ,

 

p/s 2.8tdi